Firearm comprising a magazine detection group

ABSTRACT

Firearm comprising a magazine, fitted with a carrier, and a detection group suitable to detect the presence of the magazine in the magazine housing and the presence of a predefined number of bullets inside it. The detection group comprises a firearm device, housed in the firearm comprising a plurality of primary sensors respectively comprising a switch and a magazine device housed in the carrier of the magazine, comprising at least a secondary sensor; wherein upon the change in height of the carrier the secondary sensor performs an action on the primary sensor proximal to it to perform the closing of the respective switch.

The present invention relates to a firearm comprising a detection groupsuitable to detect the presence of a magazine in the firearm and thenumber of bullets therein.

In the prior art firearms comprising electronic devices of various kindsare known of, for example suitable for locating the weapon, or detectinga shot fired event, or counting the number of shots fired, or the like.

Said electronic devices are also suitable to assess, manage and transmitthe information detected so as to give the shooter or an operationscentre such information, for example to give an alarm signal or to trackhow the firearm is used.

Further information concerning the state of use of the firearm relatesto the status of the magazine, i.e. whether it is inserted in thefirearm or not and relative to the number of bullets housed in it.

In other words, the firearm in question must necessarily provide, withinitself, for one or more electronic or mechanical or electro-mechanicaldevices, which without affecting the geometry and functioning kinematicsof the firearm, are also suitable to accomplish the aforesaid detection.

The purpose of the present invention is to make a firearm suitable toalso detect the above information relative to the magazine status.

Such purpose is achieved by a firearm according to claim 1.

Further advantages and embodiments of the firearm of the presentinvention, will be evident from the dependent claims composing the setof appended claims.

Moreover, the characteristics and advantages of the firearm will beevident from the description given below, made by way of a non-limitingexample, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a firearm, in particular of a gun,comprising a detection group according to a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the barrel of the firearm shown in FIG. 1comprising the firearm device, comprised in the detection group;

FIG. 2′ is a side view of the firearm device comprised in the detectiongroup, as in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3a and 3b show a perspective and a side view of a carrier fittedwith the magazine device comprised in the detection group;

FIG. 4 shows a diagram of a gun fitted with the primary sensorscomprised in the firearm device.

With reference to the appended drawings, reference numeral 1 globallydenotes a firearm in its entirety.

Preferably, said firearm 1 comprises a magazine 10 housed in a speciallyshaped magazine housing 100.

Preferably, the magazine housing 100 extends along a magazine axis X-X.Similarly the magazine 10 also extends in height for example between abullet input/output end suitable to be placed in a position proximal tothe firing chamber of the weapon and a bottom end.

According to a preferred embodiment, the magazine 10 is fitted with acarrier 11 suitable to keep at least one bullet housed in the magazine10 near its input/output end; in other words, with the magazine 10inserted in the firearm 1, the carrier 11 keeps a bullet in a positionsuch as to be engaged by the firing mechanism to be promptly broughtinto the firing chamber.

In a preferred embodiment, the carrier 11 is suitable to adopt a fullmagazine position, in which the magazine 10 contains all the bulletsinside it and the carrier 11 is thus lowered and proximal to the bottomend, and an empty magazine configuration, in which the magazine 10 isemptied of all the bullets inside it and the carrier 11 is thus raisedand proximal to the bullet input/output end.

Preferably, the carrier 11 operates with a spring element in turn housedinside the magazine 10.

It is to be noted that in a preferred embodiment said firearm 1 is agun. Preferably, the magazine housing 100 is made in the grip of thegun.

In a further preferred embodiment said firearm 1 is an assault rifle.

According to a preferred embodiment, the firearm 1 comprises a detectiongroup 5 suitable to detect the presence of the magazine 10 in themagazine housing 100 and suitable to detect the presence of a predefinednumber of bullets inside it.

As described in detail below, the detection group 5 is suitable to behoused in the firearm without revolutionising its structure orinfluencing its kinematics.

Preferably, the detection group 5 comprises a firearm device 51 and amagazine device 52 suitable to be operatively connected to each other.

Specifically, the firearm device 51 is suitable to be housed in thefirearm 1, in particular it is placed near the walls of the magazinehousing 100.

In yet other words, the firearm device 1 fits into the barrel of thefirearm, for example in the grip of the gun.

Instead, the magazine device 52 is housed in the magazine 10 of thefirearm 1, specifically, it is housed in the carrier 11 of the magazine10. In other words, the magazine device 52 is suitable to have an axialdisposition in the magazine 10 induced by the position of the carrier11.

According to a preferred embodiment, the firearm device 51 comprises aplurality of primary sensors 510 positioned along the magazine deviceX-X. While the magazine device 52 comprises at least one secondarysensor 520, suitable to be operatively connected with each primarysensor 510.

Preferably, each primary sensor 510 comprises a mechanical switch.

In a preferred embodiment, the mechanical switch is a magnetic switch.

In other words, the mechanical switch comprises an active portionadapted to be stressed to close the switch.

Preferably, said active portion is in a ferromagnetic material.

According to a preferred embodiment, the secondary sensor 520 comprisesa ferromagnetic element, preferably a permanent magnet, i.e. which has amagnetic field.

In other words, the mechanical switch, in particular the active portion,is suitable to close upon the action of the secondary sensor 520.

Preferably, the closure of the mechanical switch entails a change ofresistance and the position of the closed mechanical switch position,which is a function of the position of the carrier 11, and thus of thenumber of bullets housed in the magazine housing 100 loader, is thusestablishable.

According to a preferred embodiment, the secondary sensor 520 isembedded inside the carrier 11.

Preferably, the carrier 11 is in a non-magnetic material.

According to a preferred embodiment, therefore, thanks to the positionalong the magazine axis X-X of a plurality of primary sensors 510, asthe height along the magazine axis X-X of the carrier 11 varies, thesecondary sensor 520 performs an action on the primary sensor 510proximal to it. In other words, depending on the axial position of thecarrier 11 in the magazine 10, the primary sensor 510 undergoes anaction, for example such as to perform the closure of the respectiveswitch.

According to a preferred embodiment, the primary sensors 510 are in anumber equal to the number of possible positions of the carrier 11.

In a preferred embodiment, the primary sensors 510 are in a number equalto the maximum number of bullets which are housable in the magazine 10.

In a preferred embodiment, the primary sensors 510 are in a number equalto the maximum number of bullets which are housable in the magazinehousing 100.

According to a preferred embodiment, the firearm device 51 comprises asupport element 550 suitable to support and house the plurality ofprimary sensors 510 in such a way as to connect them electrically toeach other.

Preferably, the support element 550 extends in length and is suitable tobe placed in the firearm facing the magazine, extending along themagazine axis X-X.

Preferably, the support element 550 is in non-magnetic material.

In a preferred embodiment, the magazine housing 100 comprises a detectorseat 115 which extends along the magazine axis X-X suitable for housingthe firearm device 51. Preferably, the support element 550 and theprimary sensors housed on it, are housed in said detector seat 510.

Preferably, the support element 550 is suitable to be inserted in thefirearm 1 in the direction of the magazine axis X-X.

Preferably, the support element 550 is an electronic terminal board onwhich the primary sensor elements 510 and the electronic circuitry whichputs them in mutual communication are housed.

According to a preferred embodiment, the detection group 5 comprises adata processing unit suitable to manage the information derived from theprimary sensors 510.

Preferably, the detection group 5 by means of the data processing unitis suitable to manage the information, for example transmitting it toanother electronic device inside or outside the firearm 1. In furtherembodiments the detection group 5 by means of the data processing unitis suitable to store the information in a special memory.

Preferably, the detection group 5 is suitable to transmit theinformation detected to a mobile phone or smartphone.

Innovatively the firearm according to the present invention resolves theproblems typical of the prior art, being suitable to detect theaforesaid information relative to the status of the magazine.

Advantageously, in fact, the firearm according to the invention issuitable to detect in the first place the presence or absence of themagazine in the magazine housing and secondly the number of bulletshoused in it. Advantageously, the firearm according to the presentinvention is suitable to detect the presence of bullets housed in saidmagazine.

In addition, advantageously, the firearm according to the invention,achieves the purpose set forth comprising a detection group which doesnot affect the firearm itself. It is not in fact necessary torevolutionize the shape or design of the firearm.

Advantageously the operations on the firearm to comprise and house thedetection group are minimal and substantially non-invasive.

An additional advantage is therefore that the firearm according to theinvention, despite comprising a detection group shows no change inshooting kinematics, the detection group not being invasive of thefiring mechanism of the firearm.

Yet a further advantage lies in that the detection group comprises aplurality of components composed of magnetic elements which, however,are designed to be suitable to operate with each other withoutmagnetizing the other components comprised in the weapon.

Advantageously, the detection group is simple and reliable to make,guaranteeing over time a correct detection of the presence of themagazine and of the bullets stored therein. In other words,advantageously, the use of mechanical components ensures a reliable andeffective detection even with high peak stresses suffered by thefirearm, for example due to the firing event.

In addition, advantageously, even the management of the detection groupis simple to implement, not presenting details and complex systems orelectronic circuitry, the management, implementation and reliability ofwhich is always in discussion, all the more so in a hostile environmentsuch as that of a firearm, which typically suffers critical andimpulsive stresses. Advantageously, the firearm according to the presentinvention is suitable to allow over time the aforesaid detection evenafter sustaining impulsive stresses such as those of a gunshot.Advantageously, the switches are indeed suitable to withstand up to 5000g.

According to yet a further advantageous aspect, the non-invasiveness ofthe detection group of the present invention makes it suitable to becomprised in firearms of small dimensions, such as a gun.Advantageously, the aforesaid advantages are thus also achievable on agun comprising a detection group.

Advantageously, the detection group is suitable to consume very littleenergy in its implementation, activating in fact only upon a change ofresistance, i.e. only if the shot fired event occurs and the number ofbullets housed in the magazine housing changes. If said event does notoccur, the detection group has all the switches open and therefore doesnot consume energy.

Further embodiments may be provided for, for example in a furtherembodiment, the carrier (11) is of the type comprising a false bullet,and the magazine device (52) is housed in said false bullet.

It is clear that a person skilled in the art may make modifications tothe firearm described above so as to satisfy contingent requirementswhile remaining within the sphere of protection of the following claims.

1. Firearm comprising a magazine, fitted with a carrier, housed in aspecially shaped magazine housing which extends along a magazine axis,wherein the firearm comprises a detection group suitable to detect thepresence of the magazine in the magazine housing and the presence of apredefined number of bullets inside it comprising: i) a firearm device,housed in the firearm, preferably near the walls of the magazinehousing, comprising a plurality of primary sensors arranged along themagazine axis; ii) a magazine device, housed in the carrier of themagazine, comprising at least a secondary sensor; wherein each primarysensor comprises a mechanical switch, and the secondary sensor comprisesa ferromagnetic element; in which at the change in height along themagazine axis of the carrier the secondary sensor by means of itsmagnetic field performs an action on the primary sensor proximal to itto perform the closing of the respective switch.
 2. Firearm according toclaim 1, wherein the mechanical switch is a magnetic switch comprisingan active portion, preferably of ferromagnetic material, suitable toclose upon the action of the secondary sensor.